Don't practice on dying patients, doctors say
Boston -- Citing patient well-being and the principle of informed consent, several physicians are calling for a halt to the nontherapeutic insertion of femoral-vein catheters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
A study in the Dec. 30, 1999, New England Journal of Medicine found that one-third of the 234 house officers surveyed believe such a procedure, used for training, is sometimes appropriate. One-fourth had observed someone insert a catheter for practice.
"Training programs should consider how aspects of clinical education may unintentionally reinforce attitudes that can reduce patients to mere objects of use in education," the authors wrote. On the other hand, they also recognized the importance of medical education and the need for physicians in training to learn and practice their skills.
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